It’s that poignant time of the year again where lovers, romantic couples and hopeful singles often try and gauge the depth of a relationship by whether and what they receive from the object of their desire. 




Expectation and hope is in the air, and media and retailers, encourage this emotion along. Will I receive something or not, does he/she like me a little or even love me? If I receive nothing what does that mean?

This is a great question because for many there can be a myriad of answers that make a lot of sense and need to be considered if you believe you have been overlooked or left in the cold.

• The idea of giving something to someone is fraught with anxiety – “Will this person reject me outright if I show my interest”
• The person’s ideals and values mean that they don’t believe in so called commercial giving days – “Why should I buy red roses today, when I can do that on another day when I so desire, and they are so much more expensive”
• The stage of the relationship does not yet feel “safe” enough to risk sending a card/gift/flowers to indicate the interest – “We have been on one date, and I am not that confident that he/she really even likes me”
• The person is just not interested in taking the relationship to a romantic level – “we get on well together, but I can’t see this relationship developing into anything romantic”
• Peer pressure not to – “My mates would give me heaps if they knew I was sending her flowers”
• Women can be perceived as too independent to want to receive Valentine’s gifts – “she could be offended by such a gesture”